Our Love Was Made for Movie Screens
by SpobyOTP
Summary: AU/AH. Damon and Elena come from two completely different walks of life. She is a refined city girl with aspirations set forth by her dignified parents, and Damon comes from the relaxed countryside where his only concern was how to rub two nickels together. Their love was certainly destined, but will fate get in the way?
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

_Life was unfair._

_That was the first lesson you were taught in either school or Church. Life was unfair in the blows it dealt you on a regular basis, and it was unfair when something so wonderful was happening and then in an instant it was ripped away from you. Life was unfair in the sense that a love could be developed both gradually and honestly over the summer, and then be gone as soon as the first fall leaves fell to the ground._

_It was unfair that she, Elena Gilbert, was sitting in her parent's car, waiting as their maid finished packing up the rest of their things in preparation for return to their normal life, the life that she led in vain back in the city, the city that had become as dull and depressing as the mood she was now settling into as the last piece of luggage was loaded into the car._

_In her despair, the despair that she tried to hide from her mother, the one savings grace she clung onto was the necklace she wore in secret around a piece of string that was tucked neatly into her blouse. It was a token of the love one man in particular felt for her, and the same man she was now being forced to leave against her will._

_Clutching the gift tightly with her one hand, she could not help but glance out the window one last time at the home that had become a refuge to her. It was no secret that Elena loved adventure and all that encompassed it and hated being cooped up in one place, but the very last thing she expected to do when she came to the south, was to fall in love with someone._

_That someone that was as far removed from her world as it was possible to be, and yet she had found herself genuinely and irrevocably falling in love with this man. _

_Now it was all over._

_Forever, possibly. _

_As long as her parents had their say in it and who their daughter should be with, never mind the fact that she could never imagine being happy with anyone other than him._

_Once the car started and her parents had both crowded into the tight space, she released the breath she did not realize she had been holding as the car moved past the upper-class neighborhood and down the road to the main drag that would carry them out of the place they had called home, and back to their hometown._

_What Elena had in store for her, she had no idea._

_She didn't want to know, either._

_Nothing mattered anymore except the gaping hole she felt rush her heart in that moment as the finality of what had happened the previous night, settled in. Shaking her head, she swallowed back the lump in her throat as she clutched the necklace so hard she could feel her fingers begin to ache._

_In that instant, she longed to tell him how she really felt, even though the chances of him hearing it now, were slim to none._

"_I love you."_


	2. Chapter 2

The first sounds that Elena Gilbert acknowledged first thing in the morning, were the sounds of her parent's housekeeper knocking on her door to propel her to consciousness and start her day. It was a routine that Elena had been forced to follow to a "T" for nearly her entire teenaged life as she rolled over groggily in bed, her nightgown catching on a hook she had left lying on the soft cotton mattresses while sorting through what clothes she would take with her when her family moved to Georgia for the summer.

Knowing that today was the day she would finally be allowed to leave the oppressive atmosphere of Chicago in favor of the more relaxed Georgian setting, jolted her to awareness a little faster than she normally would have woken up. It was routine for her to be roused from sleep in the wee hours of the morning to get dressed, (which was a chore all on its own), and then complete one of several tasks that encompassed most of her day.

Because today was the day they would pack their belongings and move to their country mansion, the regular day-to-day activities were put on hold in favor of finishing packing and making sure that arrangements and letters were put in place for the move.

Rising to her feet, Elena only had a split second to appraise herself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror before the door opened and their housekeeper, Greta, invited herself in. It was such a commonplace move for her to make that Elena hardly questioned the rudeness of something like her privacy being invaded anymore.

Instead, much like she was taught by her mother, she plastered a smile on her face as she sauntered over to the middle-aged woman. "Good morning, miss Elena," Greta said, giving her a short smile, knowing how feisty the youngest Gilbert's temper could be in the morning.

"Good morning, Greta," Elena replied politely. "Are mother and father up yet?" 

"Only just. They just started packing the remainder of their things."

"When will we be leaving?" Elena asked, as she made her way over to her vanity to brush the snags out of her hair.

"Right after breakfast. Misses Gilbert requested that I help you prepare."

Elena knew what that meant, and protesting it hardly made a difference. It didn't matter if the corset she was forced to wear while out in public, was uncomfortable and hard to breathe in. It didn't matter if it pinched her ribs and made it painful. All that mattered to her parents was that the daughter of the respectable city doctor, look her best.

"You mean the corset?" Elena asked, looking distastefully at the bundle in Greta's arms as she prepared to apply it to her stick-thin body, a product of having a doctor for a father who insisted on only the best and proper nutrition for his family.

"I'm afraid so. Mr. Gilbert had this imported from Europe. First class."

Anything to make sure that his daughter was wearing the best of the best and the latest fashion that was deemed acceptable to his standards. Knowing the procedure well by now, Elena wrapped her arms around her bedpost and sucked in a deep breath to make her body as small as possible to accommodate the corset. Once it was applied and she had gradually acclimated to the unbearable feeling it presented to her, she turned to her maid.

"Thank you, Greta."

"Of course, Miss Gilbert. Do you feel faint?" Perhaps she had noticed the flush that colored Elena's cheeks, or the way she stumbled slightly around the room as she got her things together.

"Not terribly. Does father know that it's not fashionable for women to wear corsets in the 1930s?"

"I'm afraid he's still stuck in the pre-war era," Great replied ruefully. "I have to go by his orders or he'll show me the door," she added apologetically.

"I don't blame _you_, Greta."

She blamed her overbearing, perfectionist father for his rigid standards which he expected she and her mother to abide by. He presented it in a loving, concerned way, but Elena knew that his intentions presented a completely different portrait once one got to know him completely like she did.

"Are you excited to escape the city for the summer?"

"Oh, yes," Elena replied, the first hint of a smile finally coming across her face as she handed Greta some of her more favorite pieces to pack. "I've missed my friends."

She didn't have a lot of friends in Chicago. Either they were too stuck up for her taste, or they only got to know her because of her status in the world and the fact she came from old money that most wanted a piece of.

In Georgia was where she had friends who she knew were genuine, who she knew only loved her for herself and not the money that her father loved to flaunt around whenever he could. Caroline Forbes and Bonnie Bennett had been her friends since she first started vacationing there when she was young. Over the years, they had kept in touch whenever distance separated them, and always looked foreword to their summers together.

"Ah. Miss Caroline and Miss Bonnie?"

"Yes. Them."

Thinking about them, put an extra spring to her step as she finished packing her things and skipped downstairs. It was generally considered uncouth to skip down the stairs or to run in the house at all, but Elena could hardly care less as she slowed down once she reached the dining room.

"There's my girl," Grayson said, placing a small kiss on her cheek. "Have you packed your things up? We're leaving right after we eat. Rosemary is serving breakfast soon."

"I'm ready," Elena said, with a small smile on her face as she sat down next to her mother.

"Good. Correct your posture," her mother whispered, noticing how slouched Elena was in her chair. "And place your napkin on your lap."

Elena complied. It was hard to adjust to living such a formal life with her parents when her inner spirit was more than that. It was one thing to adhere to rules like that while out in public, but when it was just she and her family, she did not see the need for such rigid formality.

"Elena, do you like the corset piece I got for you?" Grayson asked, a piece of food dangling from his fork as he paused midway before eating.

"It's...very...comfortable," Elena finally replied.

"Good. It was made of the finest materials that are the latest in trends right now. I found it while on business in Europe last month."

"You made a fine selection," Miranda Gilbert said, perhaps sensing how close to the edge her daughter was getting. "We received correspondence from Sarah Lawrence. They are interesting in considering you for their art program, four years."

Elena almost choked; Sarah Lawrence was a liberal arts school in New York that catered to the students that possessed more artistic ability than others in the US. It was a top-notch school that only accepted the best and the brightest. Being accepted there, would be considered a top honor and one that Elena was deeply interested in pursuing.

"That's wonderful. When will we know for sure?"

"Oh, sometime after the summer is over. In the meantime, that gives us ample time to perfect your writing and vocabulary skills for the entry exams you will surely face."

"What about my writing?" Elena blurted out.

"You have taken to writing in your journal," Grayson said, exchanging looks with his wife. "Which is fine, but if you are going to be considered a top candidate for this college, you must show ability beyond jotting your thoughts down."

"What would you suggest I start doing?" Elena asked, trying to ignore the rush of annoyance she felt at her parents now dictating to her what she could and could not write.

Being given her journal in her tenth year by her mother, was one of the few gifts she actually cherished from them. It was not so much the thought behind it, as it was the actual present. It was a sturdy journal with a lock on the front that stored all of her innermost secrets and frustrations. It was a lifeline to her in the same way that her friends in Georgia were.

"Well, for one, I would attempt to start thinking about writing your essay to gain admittance. Sarah Lawrence is interested in you, but that does not mean it's definite until they can see the talent you possess with writing."

"Anything else?" Elena asked.

"Yes. Try to write something that catches your eye," Grayson said. "A novel, perhaps. Maybe a romance or maybe something that is popular right now."

"Where do I get ideas?" Elena asked, not familiar with writing something fictional.

"Anywhere. Observe," Miranda replied. "Most writers get their ideas from the people and things around them."

"How _wonderful _for them," Elena answered.

"You will _attempt _to do this," her mother corrected her.

"Yes, mother."

Elena could hardly find it within herself to feel ambushed or angry at her mother's instructions to force herself to write something else besides in her journal. It was an aspiration that was partly hers, and mostly her parent's dreams for her. Instead of stewing in resentment, she allowed herself to feel the kind of joy that only went with the realization that she was finally in the south.

Georgia called to her like a ferocious, untamed wind. It was here that she was allowed to be herself. It was here that she was allowed to go out and have fun because it was summer and fun times were in high demand for everyone, even the adults.

Smiling to herself, she looked out the window as their car pulled through the private entrance of their summer mansion. It was three stories, white, with lush grounds to cater the biggest and wildest of parties that the Gilbert's normally threw to announce their arrival.

"We're here," Miranda said, squeezing Elena's knee, obviously assuming that her daughter was off in her own mind.

"We're _home_," Elena corrected her.

It didn't matter if she had a house in the city. It didn't matter if that was where they spent the majority of their time when it wasn't summer. This was the place that felt like home, that felt like a retreat from stress and all of the pressure that enveloped her life.

Walking through the doors of the newer home, she felt an overwhelming sense of peace develop her and hold her hostage in its wonderful embrace as she walked through the spacious and open halls and through the open dining room/living room concept. Her bedroom upstairs was conjoined with her own private bathroom, and balcony.

"Look at this," Grayson said, as he finally set the last of their bags down. "My buck from last year is still mounted here."

"It's quite impressive," Miranda remarked. "All of the furniture seems to be in decent condition."

"Do you think I can go out for a walk?" Elena asked. "Caroline and Bonnie are waiting outside. I haven't seen them for awhile."

"Well," Grayson said, "I suppose that will be alright. Just make sure that those girls don't keep you out too late, and you're back before dark."

"We will be."

"Have fun."


	3. Chapter 3

It felt nice to finally be able to see her friends after nearly a years worth of separation after the summer before had officially ended. It wasn't that Elena didn't appreciate the people her parents tried to throw at her back in the city, but when it came to true and lasting friendships, she knew that Caroline and Bonnie fit that description to a "T."

Caroline was the daughter of the town sheriff. A strictly raised child that had bloomed into a carefree and independent teenager after finally gaining some of the freedom that she rightly deserved. It was hard not to relax when Elena was in her eccentric company, and almost always found herself laughing at something Caroline had managed to blurt out of her barely controlled mouth.

Bonnie was a completely different matter altogether. She was studious, much like Elena was, and quiet with her own sense of morals and right and wrong. It didn't help that instead of being raised in a home with a mother and father, she had mostly been raised with her father and grandmother after the disappearance of her mother fifteen years previously.

Walking down the relaxed countryside roads with her friends, Elena tried to pinpoint a place in time back in Chicago where she felt this measure of happiness, and was unable to. Here, the normal conventions and rules she was expected to follow, flew out the window as soon as her family stepped foot inside the Georgian atmosphere. It was freeing, it was liberating and it was peaceful to be in a place like that.

"Where should we go to first?" Caroline asked, her blond hair bouncing behind her as they walked across a street to cross to the side that looked like it was housing an amusement park of some kind.

"Maybe we should see about this amusement park," Elena said with a shrug. "It's not like we have many of those back in the city."

In fact, if her parents knew she was entertaining the idea of finding fun in the form of dangerous rides and sugar-filled candy, she knew she would hardly ever be allowed to leave their home again without an escort.

"You don't have any _amusement parks_?" Caroline asked incredulously.

"Girl, you've been missing out on some fun times," Bonnie said, shaking her head. "Come on."

"Mother and father both warned me that those rides are not suitable for ladies-"

"Oh, come on!" Caroline urged. "It's not like they're actually going to see you do all of this. It's _normal _to have _fun_, Elena."

"What if I get hurt?" Elena pointed out, looking up doubtfully at the ferris-wheel. "That huge thing could tip over in a second."

"Not when it's held together by thick rods," Bonnie explained. "Come on. You're going to have fun."

This went against every single thing Elena believed in. Breaking the rules was not something she normally did—ever—and doing it now represented a serious breach of obedience she had faithfully followed nearly her entire life.

"Okay," Elena finally said. "Let's do it."

"You won't regret it," Caroline promised her, as she hooked her arm through Elena's. "The cotton candy is to die for. The rides are vomit-inducing and the fun is ten times more important than that."

"And the potential death-rate?" Elena asked nervously as she allowed herself to be steered over to the ticket booth.

"Of what? Eating too much candy? Zero-to-zero."

"No," Elena said, shaking her head. "The death-rate of falling off that death machine?"

"I don't know the statistics, but I do remember some boy had to be taken to the clinic after falling off near the end of the ride," Caroline said. "He survived."

That hardly made Elena feel better. For someone who was a stickler for rules and following them as they were intended to be followed, going against all of her parents teachings was just the slightest bit unnerving to her, and then to have the realization that if something went wrong, the chances of her surviving a fall like that, would be slim.

"Fifteen people died last year on the ferris-wheel," a new voice interjected, joining the friend's private conversation. "Not including passenger related mistakes. Or, as I like to call them, jackass mistakes," the man stage-whispered to Elena.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Caroline demanded in a huff, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at the stranger who had intruded on their private conversation.

"Damon Salvatore. I operate the 'death machine.'

"Oh," Elena said, throwing Caroline a look for her blatant rudeness toward the stranger. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"To what? Insult the thing?"

"That's not what I meant-"

"No, I understand, believe me. It has a bad reputation, even I admit that."

"How well do you know it?" Elena asked, trying to shake herself back to her senses as she appraised the man in front of her. His clothes were dirty, (something her parents would shrink away from) and his face was sweaty from operating under the intense Georgia heat wave.

But there was something intriguing about him that Elena could not quite place in her brain. It was someone she knew better than to engage with, having been warned that these kinds of people were trouble, but she found herself not caring as much about the strict rules her parents had set forth.

"I know it like the back of my hand," Damon replied, flippantly waving her concern away. "Look, I can give you the best seat in the house if you want."

"We're fine," Caroline interrupted, grabbing Elena's arm non-too-gently to tow her away from the man. It was a side of Caroline that was frustrating to Elena, interfering when she shouldn't, especially when it was someone that she deemed unworthy of being in their company.

"Caroline," Bonnie corrected, shaking her head.

"Which seat is the best?" Elena asked, once she had finally pried her arm away from Caroline's strong grasp.

"Right this way," Damon said, bowing grandly. "You can come along too," he added, looking back at Caroline. "But the ride is partial to only those who have the best attitude."

"Where did you get that line from?" Caroline asked with a scoff, as she followed behind them, clearly not able to resist going on the ride even though she didn't favor the one showing them to it.

"From the million times my boss informed me that I needed to have a more open and honest dialogue with the unwilling customers who are too scared to try it out."

"Well, we're not unwilling. Just nervous."

"Is she always like this?" Damon whispered to Elena, stepping aside to let Caroline and Bonnie walk ahead of them to give them a little privacy.

"Only when she doesn't like someone," Elena said, shaking her head in amusement. "That was rude. I'm sorry."

"No problem. I like honesty in a woman."

"I'm the most honest one you will meet, Mr. Salvatore," Elena replied cheekily. "My father is a doctor and so it's always been expected of me to act accordingly, especially while out during social functions."

"First of all, call me Damon," Damon said mock-seriously. "Second of all, you can drop the good-girl act while you're in this amusement park."

"That's what I plan to do. That's what Caroline and Bonnie want me to do."

"There's nothing wrong with that for a change."

Elena couldn't argue the logic in his statement, and so she didn't try as they finally reached the foreboding contraption that loomed before them. It was big, just like the pictures from the newspapers she studied religiously, and dangerous.

"What happens if the machine malfunctions and we get stuck?" Elena asked, as Damon led her over to a seat.

"Then you stay put while we work to get you down. It's not that complicated, sweet pea. Only two per seat," he added, looking over at Caroline and Bonnie.

"I can get in one by myself," Elena said, trying to appear braver than she actually felt. "How long does the ride last?"

"About five minutes, give or take."

"Okay," Elena said, nodding to herself as she slid into the seat Damon directed her into. As she watched Damon place the protective handlebar in front of her, she tried to feel some kind of euphoria at finally doing something that went directly against what her parents dictated to her she could do.

"You ready?" Damon called, his hand on the lever that would start the ride.

"No!" Elena shouted, laughing in spite of herself at the rush of adrenaline that accompanied this terrifying moment.

"You're ready? Okay, got it."

"No-"

It was too late. With an infuriating smirk planted firmly on his face, Damon started the ride. As she ascended slowly into the air while in the protective confines of the seat, she tried to take a moment to appreciate the view she was able to get from being up that high. The trees, the sky, even the buildings looked closer at that height.

Not able to control the smile that crept across her face, she twisted her body around in the seat to look down at her friends. They were in the seat below hers. Caroline was in her element as she gossiped with Bonnie while keeping a tight hand on the bar in front of her.

"You doing okay up there?" Damon called, halfway through the ride.

"I think so!"

"Alright, good."

It was hard to place the reason for why her prior fear of heights had disappeared the second she was lifted up into the ride. Perhaps it was the arrogant and confident way Damon operated the machine, and his loopy smirk that seemed to do all it was supposed to do in reassuring her that she would be fine.

Once the ride was finally stopped, Elena gratefully allowed Damon to help her out of the seat she was in. Her balance slightly off kilter, she allowed Damon to steady her briefly until she was able to shake it completely.

"Wasn't that a blast?" Caroline said, finally making it over to Elena's side.

"Yeah...it was."

"So I did a pretty good job?" Damon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, you did, Mr-"

"Damon."

"Damon," Elena corrected herself. "You did a very good job protecting me."

"Well, it was my pleasure."

"Well," Caroline said, clearly not okay with the interaction her friend was having with the complete stranger. "We have to get going."

"Wait," Damon said. "I was wondering if I could take you out sometime."

"Me?"

"No. The other brunette in this vicinity."

"My name's Elena," Elena said, "and I don't think so."

She found Damon charming. She found him likable and even easy to get along with, but her hesitation at accepting his request was solely based on the fear of what she would get herself into with someone like him, and the reaction of her parents, who had high expectations from her and that included who she dated.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

"Why is that?"

"Because I don't really know you."

"Sure you do," Damon contradicted her. "I'm Damon Salvatore. I run the machine of death that I saw you laughing on, and I am the one who was responsible for bringing you back to safety."

"Hmm...still no."

"Don't be like that, Elena. Tell me what can I do to convince you otherwise?"

"Well, if you really want me to go out with you, you'll think of something, I'm sure."


	4. Chapter 4

Elena was grateful that the next few days passed in a somewhat blur. Even though she and her family were technically supposed to be on summer vacation, that did not mean that she was immune from following the same daily routine that had become as familiar as breathing for her. The redundancy of the activities was always a bit draining on the naturally curious teen, but she had learned from a young age not to argue when it came to the duties she was expected to take up with a smile on her face.

Today was piano lessons for the morning, followed soon after by her Latin tutor and then a break for lunch and then her writing lessons that her mother had generously offered to pay a tutor to help Elena master the finer art of creative writing beyond what she penned in her journal day in and day out.

That was the part that Elena had the most problems with. She loved writing, always had. She loved being able to express herself in such a private and intimate way, but knowing that her natural creativity was about to be strictly controlled as well, left a bitter taste in her mouth as she finished getting ready in her room for the busy morning ahead.

As usual, Greta was helping her dress and make sure that she had gotten herself properly groomed for the morning ahead. If there was one part of her life that she did not mind, it was the addition of Greta, their housekeeper who also filled in as the role of caretaker for the Gilbert family.

"Suck in, Miss Gilbert," Greta instructed in her normally calm and placid tone as she tightened the strings that wound around the corset. "Is that a bit too tight?"

"No," Elena said, shaking her head, sucking in a deep breath as instructed. "You did a fine job."

"Did you not sleep well?" Greta asked knowingly as she handed Elena a washcloth to wash up before breakfast.

"What makes you say that?" Elena inquired.

"The last time I saw bags like that, my grandmother was close to kicking the bucket."

"It's...it's nothing."

The other night had been better than even her wildest imaginations had been able to conjure up thus far. The idea of going against the rules and riding what her father would consider, a 'dangerous contraption' had turned out to be one of the most carefree and thrilling times of her life that was only further enhanced by the unexpected help of the man who ran the entire operation.

Damon Salvatore.

Even his name sounded like silk on her lips as she replayed the name over and over again in her mind's eye as she let her brain wander to his easygoing (and sometimes infuriating demeanor) and the brazen way in which he had asked her out.

Every square inch of her body had willed her to say "yes" but her brain screamed "no" and that was the safer option she went with. It wasn't that she didn't necessarily _want _to go out with him, because a small, hidden part of her did, but she wasn't sure in what place he fit in her life and if they could possibly make something like a relationship work with how different and complicated they both were.

"Did you meet someone when you were out with miss Bonnie and miss Caroline last night?"

Elena smiled; she couldn't help it. Not when the idea of his cerulean eyes that seemed to practically invite her in, invaded her mind with the force and power of a sledgehammer. It was not easy to get rid of those thoughts when the presence of him was everywhere inside of her.

"Maybe."

"What does 'maybe' mean?"

"It means that he was someone that was nice," Elena said, righting herself with a mental push. "But that was it."

"Is he someone your mother and father would approve of?" Greta asked knowingly.

"Probably not," Elena replied with a quiet sigh as she carefully applied the right amount of mascara and concealer to cover the evidence of last night's sleepless rest.

"Was he more mature than you?"

"If by older, than yes."

"Was he...suited for you?" Greta asked, phrasing her question carefully, knowing her touchy Elena was about the issue of her wealth and how it applied to her daily life and expectations.

"He's suited for me in all the _right _ways," Elena replied, not able to hide the defiant tone she injected into her voice as she finished getting ready, before walking past her out of the bedroom.

Breakfast was being served in the kitchen when she finally walked in. Her mother was reading the morning paper, liberally sipping her tea as she looked up at the sound of her daughter's approach. "Good morning."

"Good morning," Elena replied back politely. "Where is father this morning?"

It had not escaped her attention that Grayson's chair was empty for reasons unknown. Normally he could be counted on to make breakfast appearances unless an emergency at the hospital called him away.

"He went into town to settle a minor dispute over the property," Miranda said, pausing in her sentence to accept the plate of food that their cook had prepared for them. "He should be back shortly."

Elena nodded, not allowing it to bother her as she ate slowly, the way she was taught nearly her entire life. The weather outside was nice, a perfect time to go out to the lake to swim like Caroline and Bonnie wanted her to do that morning.

"Is it okay if I go swimming this morning with Caroline and Bonnie?"

"What time will you be back?" Miranda asked, without looking up from her paper.

"I don't know. Sometime before dinner."

"I suppose. But first you have to finish your lessons."

"Of course."

Finishing the lessons she had to complete before being allowed to go out, was burdensome but she was relieved when she finally managed to put the rest of her chores behind her in favor of being allowed to go out and have some fun with her friends. As expected, Caroline and Bonnie were waiting for her at the edge of the lake, already ready to jump in.

"There you are!" Caroline squealed, running over to give her best friend a hug. "We were wondering if you would be able to come or not."

Out of everyone not directly related to her, they were the only two people who knew how difficult and demanding her parents could be and the unreasonable restrictions they placed on their only child's life. It was a hassle and a pain when their rules prohibited them from doing fun things together.

"I had to finish my Latin and math tutor before they would let me come," Elena explained, as she took off her top shirt and skirt to reveal a one-piece bathing suit that was hidden underneath.

Swimming was another favorite hobby of hers because it made her feel the kind of physical freedom that was all but a stranger to her during the day when she had to wear the confining and restricting clothing her parents insisted upon.

Taking hold of the rope swing with both hands firmly wrapped around it, she tried to gain momentum on the ground before allowing her feet to control the rest as she took a running leap off the embankment before letting her grasp go when she was finally over the water.

The kind of euphoria she felt at crashing through the waves was one she had not had a chance to go through in quite some time. Brushing her wet bangs from her forehead, she splashed some water in an unsuspecting Bonnie's eyes.

"Hey!" Her friend yelled, feigning annoyance as she reciprocated in a huff.

"Did I give you a fright?" Elena asked mock-seriously. "I'm terribly sorry, Bonnie."

"No. You just...startled me."

"What's the difference?" Caroline asked, swimming over.

"The difference is that I was momentarily surprised but not anymore."

Not able to find it within herself to argue with Bonnie's logic, Elena dove under the water to playfully grab Caroline's ankle, an action which would have resulted with her getting kicked in the face had it not been for her quick thinking.

Deciding to come back up for air once her lungs constricted painfully with the absence of much needed oxygen, she was rewarded by the sight of Damon standing on the embankment, watching them as though he had been doing it the entire time without them noticing any different. Smiling self-consciously as she accepted the towel Caroline held out for her, she wrapped it securely around her waist before walking up to meet him.

As usual, a smirk had made its home on his face as he waited for her to come and meet him. He was clean and in neat clothes, signaling that he had either not worked that day, or had taken the time to get cleaned up before coming to meet her.

"Are you stalking me now?" Elena asked, only half-joking as she came to stand in front of him. "Coming to spy on a girl in a bathing suit is a sign of _very _poor manners."

"I apologize," Damon said, not sounding sorry at all. "I was up all night thinking about what you said to me the other day at the carnival. I was wondering if we could take this conversation somewhere...more private?" he asked, with a pointed look at her friends who were eavesdropping on every word they spoke.

"Of course."

Ignoring the exasperated look Caroline threw her for her choice, she tied the towel that was around her waist into a tight knot and walked up the steep embankment with Damon. The grass felt warm, inviting under her soaked toes and she relished in that rare feeling as they reached his truck which was parked underneath a canopy of tress and branches.

Turning to face him, she tried to control that innate part of her that wanted to defy every single convention her parents had ever instilled in her mind and do what her heart was simply demanding she do. It was hard to face him and know that in the separate lives they led, they were virtual strangers when it came to their lives and how they lived them.

Two completely different opposites would never attract; not in a situation like the one they were in. Elena was sure of it, and so she braced herself for the rejection she was sure she would have to place on his heart, even though the thought of it drove her crazy.

"What is it?" Elena asked.

"I know I may have come off as foreword during the carnival the other night. I wanted to apologize for that, but I meant every word of it."

"Damon-"

This is exactly what she had been afraid of. She had never been any good at letting people down. Her compassion was crippling to her sometimes, and this was one of those times where she knew she had to shove it down as far as it would go.

"Just hear me out," he said, holding up a hand to halt her sentence. "I don't have a lot to offer you, Elena. Hell, I can barely afford to feed myself! But what I _do _have is a lot of devotion to the things and people I care about, and I can be a pretty fun and goofy guy."

"Is that it?" Elena asked, half a smile coming across her face.

"I'm also honest. I sense you like that in a guy, right? Well I am that. I'm not saying that it's ever going to be simple and easy, but wouldn't you rather give it a try with me instead of regretting that you didn't later on?"

Elena shook her head, biting down gently on her thumb. "Why should I trust you?"

"Because I don't lie. I can be anything you want me to be if you give me the chance to do that. Take Bonnie and that judgy blond friend of yours and picture the summer? Who do you see it with? With me?"

She did; that was the problem. Even if their tentative relationship never lasted beyond those few months, Elena could see a romance with him.

"How do you know me so well?"

"I have a secret talent."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?"

"I'm a mind reader."

Elena sighed, shaking her head, trying to keep it clear. "Well, Mr. Salvatore, I suppose you better show me what kind of boyfriend you can be."

"Is that a yes?" Damon asked, raising his eyebrows.

"It's a maybe. We'll see how things work out."


	5. Chapter 5

This was new to Elena; being in a tentative relationship with someone who clearly thought the world of her and wanted to give just that to her. It was different to be in a relationship with someone who had no concern over the wealth her family had, or their status in the city where her father was a renowned doctor. It didn't matter to him, and that was what she found herself respecting the most about Damon Salvatore as she started finding herself organizing her life around her commitments with her friends and duties and then her new life with Damon in it.

Even though Caroline had made no secret of her displeasure at her friend dating someone who she thought was only using her for her money, Elena realized she didn't even bat an eye at her judgment and simply focused on the way that Damon made her feel whenever they found the time to be alone together, (which was rare) with Bonnie warming up to him and wanting to know more about him, and the crowds that always seemed to accompany them whenever they decided to make the journey out someplace.

The fact that Damon had little money did not mean anything to her. It showed to her that he was an honest man who was making an honest living doing what he could to keep himself afloat in a world that was becoming more and more about the finances that one possessed than their actual character. It was a quality of the world that she most disliked and found herself becoming further and further removed from the more time she spent with Damon.

Currently they were walking across the middle of an empty street after a late night showing of one of her favorite movies that had just come out. It was exhilarating to be doing something outlandish like going to the movies so late at night, and it was also freeing to be doing something like that with someone who had no qualms about the concept of time, or what would happen if she was late getting home. It was nice for a change, and it was one of the core reasons why her entire chest expanded with pleasure as they walked hand-in-hand over to the sidewalk.

And the fact that she was holding hands with someone who thought that she was worth spending his money on instead of saving it up like he should be. His hand felt warm, inviting to her as she snuggled closer to his side in defiance against the cold chill that had suddenly swept through the town due to the late hour.

"Here," Damon whispered quietly, as he opened his coat to put some of it around her while keeping one part of it on for himself. The coat was warm with the body heat that radiated from him, but what she found herself drawn to was the warmth of his skin as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Is that better?"

"Much," Elena said with a quiet sigh. "Thank you for this, Damon. Thank you for everything tonight."

"It's no problem. I've been meaning to see that movie for awhile now. I just haven't had someone to share it with."

"And now you do?"

"I think so."

"It's been awhile since I've had the chance to see a movie."

Between her studies that took up most of her time and the attention her friends demanded, it was rare that she got to do something for herself. Doing it for the first time in what seemed like forever, with Damon, brought an unusual sense of peace to accompany them as they stopped near a rustic park bench that had been ensconced in the local history of the town.

"Yeah? Tell me what makes up a typical day for Elena Gilbert," Damon said gently, as he helped her sit down on the bench.

"Well, I do a lot," Elena replied self-consciously as she found herself leaning into his embrace as he wrapped an arm around her. "Morning is Latin tutor and then English and Math, sometimes both, and then dance lessons, and then writing more recently."

It was a stifling schedule; one that was hard to breathe around when her every move was scrutinized by her parents and the people they hired to make sure she performed the way she was supposed to. When she was out with her friends, she forgot her responsibilities back home and focused on the fun she had. The same could now be said for she and Damon, depending on how fully their relationship developed.

"Do you like it?" Damon asked.

"Do I like what?"

"Writing," Damon prompted, carefully tucking some of Elena's thick hair behind her ear. "Do you like it?"

Elena nodded, trying to ignore the pleasurable sort of chill that went through her entire body at his touch. "I do. Or...I used to."

Now that her mother had put a limit on what she could write and what she could not, the fun and the safety of it had started to wear off. Of course she still got to write in her journal, but not without her mother breathing down her neck to show her signs of improvement in the area of creative writing.

"What do you mean you _used _to?"

"There's this college," Elena said with a sigh. "Sarah Lawrence. It's a creative arts college, and it would be an honor to be accepted there. My parents think that if they were able to show the educational board my promise in an "art" then I could get in-"

"Free?"

"Essentially, yes."

"Do _you _want to go to this fancy college?"

Elena opened her mouth and then closed it several times. No one had ever asked her opinion on the decisions they made for her. They expected her to follow along with what they had in mind and not raise a fit about it like she had been raised.

"I love writing. I do. I _still _do but my parents managed to make even that seem like work instead of actual fun now."

"So why don't you tell them that you don't want to go?"

"Because a part of me does," Elena admitted, "but I just don't want my creativity curtailed like my mother is trying to do right now."

Damon was silent for a moment and Elena began to wonder if she had gone too far with discussing something so intimate to her with someone she hardly knew. It was disconcerting to feel as though she could confide the most miniscule details of her life to him, but that was the kind of presence that Damon brought out to her, someone who was more than capable of taking on the worries she laid on his shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Damon said. "I didn't mean to overstep my boundaries."

"You didn't," Elena assured him. "I was scared that I had overstepped _my _boundaries."

"Don't worry about it," Damon said, laying his hand on her knee. "We better get back, don't you think?"

"Probably."

She didn't want to think about the possible repercussions of her arriving home later than normal and on the arm of a mysterious boy who her parents had no idea even existed.

The next few weeks passed in a blur of monotonous activity and complete surprises whenever Elena was in the presence of Damon Salvatore. He lit a fire inside of her that was completely new and intimidating to her since she had never known the kind of passion that existed inside a human being like the passion Damon showed to her every second they spent together.

It was new; it was exhilarating and she never wanted it to end, even though she tried to be realistic about the relationship long-term. It was just something she was not prepared to tackle and would absolutely not until she had to.

Sitting in Damon's car as it pulled into the secluded driveway of her parent's home, she tried to control the searing disappointment that accompanied each night when he would drop her off. It was a disappointment that was only tempered with the reminder of what the next day would bring for her.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Damon whispered, leaning across the console to capture her lips in a sweet embrace.

"You promise?" Elena pressed, once the kiss had ended and she had regained feeling in her limbs.

"I promise," Damon reinforced quietly. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

It was the first time Damon had ever spoken the words aloud apart from the occasional tease or whisper. Hearing him profess it in such a sincere and genuine way was what momentarily caught her breath as she tried to shake some sense back into herself enough to get out of the car and walk back up the porch and into her house.

"Sleep tight," Damon said, with a characteristic wink.

"You too."

Finally allowing herself freedom from the tight space in the truck cab, she breathed in the crisp night air as she pranced up the steps, her chest expanding vibrantly to reflect the absolute euphoria she felt at the summer romance she had unwittingly found and the intensity of the love she already felt for Damon.

"You were late."

Spinning around so suddenly she almost found herself hitting her head on the door, she turned to see her father lounging on the patio chair as he put down the evening paper that he always read. His expression was unreadable, but Elena knew he was readying himself for battle by the way he leaned foreword in his seat, hands clasped in front of him.

"Daddy, I'm sorry," Elena said, still trying to catch her breath. "You startled me."

"My apologies. Who is that boy you've been spending so much time with?"

"Just a boy," Elena said with a forced shrug.

"A friend?"

"Not exactly."

"Well, bring him around for lunch Sunday. I want to meet this fellow."

"Okay...yeah. Sure."


	6. Chapter 6

The idea of "bringing" Damon over to the house for lunch the following Sunday was what drove Elena's preoccupation for the duration of the week as she tried to focus on her studies that was demanded of her and the needs of her friends, and more importantly, the sacred time that she was allotting for she and Damon to be together, a development that had taken her completely by surprise, but was not at all resistant to when he never failed to sweep her off her feet, or charm his way with her with a quick (and flirtatious) smile and a few well-placed bouquet of red roses that he knew she favored.

Elena had hardly broached the subject of the dinner with Damon. She knew that he would most likely take it in stride and charm the pants off her intimidating family members, but she had no idea what he planned on saying about them, or about the progression of their relationship that had only recently begun to get serious after a few, steady weeks of dating. With the summer rapidly dwindling down, Elena could hardly bear to think about what it would mean for them when her family was ready to pack up and head back to the oppressive lifestyle they led back in Chicago.

Sighing softly as a gentle breeze swept her hair back behind her shoulder, she looked up as Damon sat down with the bountiful picnic he had thought to bring along with them during their careful hike up a local hiking trail that had been a popular tourist trap for those who wanted to see more of the scenic Georgian landscape.

"This is beautiful," Elena said, shaking her head in complete astonishment at the amount of detail that Damon had thought to include in the lunch. "The food, the drinks, the napkins."

"So you like it?" Damon ventured sarcastically.

"You know I do," Elena replied, rolling her eyes. "How did you know I liked strawberries?"

No one knew that except for the people who had known her close to her entire life. It was a rare delicacy that she always liked to indulge in when given the rare opportunity. Gingerly dunking it in the chocolate sauce, she waited for Damon to respond as she watched him as he made a small sandwich for himself.

"I found out from a _very _reliable source."

"Who?" Elena deadpanned. "You better tell me right now, Damon, or I _swear_-"

"And do what?" Damon challenged, waggling his eyebrows in that infuriating way of his. "Lecture me to death on the proper conversational etiquette?"

An unbridled sense of playfulness and irritation flooded through Elena all at once as she pushed him back down in the scratchy grass. Ignoring the bugs and itchy leaves that pricked at her bare skin, she grabbed a strawberry from the pile beside her, dipped it in the chocolate sauce and proceeded to scrub it over his face and lips.

"You asked for it," she said satisfactorily as she took the liberty of kissing the chocolate off his lips. "You don't go behind my back for any reason whatsoever."

"My apologies, miss Gilbert," Damon replied cheekily. "Do you _really _want to know who told me?"

"Caroline?" Elena asked, sitting up straighter as she let Damon get up.

"No! The girl hates me," Damon mumbled to himself. "Bonnie did."

"Bonnie? Really?"

Even though her friend had never raised the kind of judgment that Caroline did whenever she could, she still had reacted to the news of her friends new summer romance,with guarded curiosity as she carefully extracted the kind of information from her that Elena knew was meant to assess whether or not she was really safe with this stranger or not.

"She was very helpful," Damon said diplomatically.

"Good," Elena said, shifting her position so that she was lying with her head on Damon's chest as he carefully intertwined their fingers together. "Listen, there's something we need to talk about."

She was dreading bringing up the lunch and having to worry about the kinds of things her parents would bring up and how Damon would respond to people that she knew he was not normally accustomed to working with. She wished her father had enough respect for her to realize that she needed to see how she felt about Damon on her own without his opinions on the matter.

"Hmm," Damon murmured as he bowed his head to kiss her shoulder. "What's that?"

"My parents," Elena said, sighing deeply. "My father wants to meet you this Sunday for lunch. He's noticed that we've been spending a lot of time together and I think he wants to make sure that you are suitable for me."

"What do you think?"

"About the lunch?"

"Yes."

"I can't see any way around it. That's for sure."

"Well, then, I'll go to it and I'll charm the pants off your parents that they won't even know what hit them."

"You think it will be that easy?"

"I _know _it will be that easy."

"I'm glad _you're _so confident," Elena said, shaking her head in amusement as she situated her head under Damon's chin. "Does that hurt?"

"It feels _perfect. _While we're on the subject of things we may not feel like doing, there's something you could do for _me_."

"What?"

"A dance. There's this party in a week or two that is _supposed _to send the summer away with a bang. Really, it's just an excuse for some of us to get drunk and show off, but some of the people who actually have their heads screwed on right, host a dance competition and if you win it, you can win a big cash advance and some other nifty prizes."

"Hmm," Elena said, considering his proposal in her mind's eye. "There's only one issue."

"What's that?"

"I don't know how to dance."

* * *

><p>Sunday came much too quickly for Elena's taste. The idea of her parents interrogating Damon was what caused most of her anxiety as she hesitantly got into the cab of Damon's truck and started the short journey to their home. It would normally have been something she would have celebrated, bringing her boyfriend home to meet the parents, but when it was <em>her <em>parents and their judgments, she was dreading the entire experience.

Her knee jiggling up and down in anticipation, she was brought out of her harried thoughts when Damon placed his hand on top of her shaking knee. The small, crooked smile he gave her, was enough to make her (momentarily) forget her stresses and simply focus on the beautiful ride that they were enjoying as different shaped trees flew past them, and the different people walking about and enjoying the beautiful Sunday afternoon.

"Not to be rude," Damon stated as thy pulled into her parent's driveway. "But I don't really care what your parents think of me. I only care about what _you _think."

"That's terribly sweet of you," Elena said, straightening her hair. "But you don't know the kind of people my parents can be when they don't approve of something or someone."

"I am fairly confident," Damon whispered, as he leaned in closer to capture her lips in a sweet kiss. "That I can handle it. I deal with rude customers all the time. I'll just put my good people skills to use."

Glad that one of them was so confident, Elena waited while Damon opened the door for her. Together, the two of them walked up the porch steps, and without knocking, Elena walked on in. The smell of cooking food wafted in from the kitchen as she immediately moved toward the source of the smell.

"Hi, honey!" Miranda said, turning around to notice her daughter and boyfriend. "I just put on the food."

"It looks great, Mom," Elena said, noticing her favorite side dishes already lined up neatly on the counter. "Where's father?"

"He is out back. He decided that he would rather shoot deer and squirrels than help his wife prepare lunch," Miranda said, giving her only child a look that was meant to convey her irritation with Grayson.

"Mom, this is Damon," Elena said, deciding it was either then or never.

For the first time Miranda turned her attention to the man standing beside Elena. Elena could hardly detect a change in her personality as she cordially shook Damon's hand, a small, polite smile coming across her face. "It's nice to meet you, Damon. Elena has told us a lot about you."

"Has she now?" Damon asked, giving Elena a teasing, exasperated look. "Well, she has told _me _a lot about you, too."

"How lovely. Lunch will be served out back since it's so nice out today. Elena, can you help me carry some of this out?"

"Yes." Giving Damon an uneasy look, Elena picked up some of the dishes and carried them outside to their covered gazebo where they would be eating for the afternoon. Setting down the side dishes, she took a seat next to Damon as they waited for her mother to bring out the main course.

"See? It's not going so bad. I think they might even like me," Damon said with a shrug.

"Just wait," Elena whispered. "I know how they think."

Lunch was served after her father came in from getting cleaned up after his hunting excursion. Between bites of delicious roast and bragging about his large kill, the topic of discussion hardly went off-topic to focus on Damon.

"The largest stag I got was last year, wasn't it, dear?" Grayson asked, chuckling as he turned to Miranda. "I nearly gave my hunting party a run for their money."

"I remember you came home with blood on your hands and cuts I had to nurse for a week."

"Well, that's all part of the business of hunting, Miranda."

Elena shook her head in amusement. It was always entertaining whenever her parents got into a heated debate over the pros and cons of hunting. The truth was, her father had a habit of coming home from a round of hunting with injuries that to be taken care of.

"I suppose so. Damon, Elena told us that you two met while she was at the carnival with her friends?"

"That's right," Damon said.

"Were you visiting the carnival, too?"

"No. I uh, work there."

"You do?" Miranda asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If you don't mind me asking," Grayson said. "How much do you make at your job?"

"How _much_?"

Elena tensed; this was the part of the lunch she had been hoping to avoid, and the one subject she resented her family for bringing up.

"Yes."

"I make forty cents an hour. It's not much but it gets me by."

"That's wonderful, dear."

The look on her mother's face said differently. Elena hoped she would choose not to further elaborate on her misgivings.

"Damon, did Elena tell you that she may very well possibly be going to Sarah Lawrence?" Grayson asked.

"She told me that," Damon nodded. "It's a very good opportunity for her. If she wants to, of course."

Elena tried to hide the smirk that crept across her face at Damon's choice of words. They would not like the fact that Damon was inserting himself into her life like that and possibly interfering with their grand plans of sending her to a top-of-the-line school.

"What do you mean _if _she wants to?" Miranda asked, lowering her fork to look at Damon.

"Well, I just mean that she may have different career aspirations."

"Elena has made it perfectly clear that she has expressed interest in furthering her writing and turning it into a profession."

Damon did not say anything more as he simply focused on eating. Elena was glad he had chosen to drop the issue instead of furthering it. The rest of the lunch passed in relative peace and quiet until finally they were ready to leave. Exhaling a deep breath once she stepped foot outside her claustrophobic home, she allowed Damon to open the door for her and waited patiently as he started the truck up.

"That didn't go so badly," Damon said, after a few minutes of silence.

"It went okay," Elena agreed.

"Are you mad that I spoke up about Sarah Lawrence?"

"No, not at all. I think it may have done them some good to realize that I may want other things besides what they want for me."


	7. Chapter 7

Elena considered herself to be a confident woman who was capable of mastering even the most difficult of tasks like learning a different language and being able to accomplish different activities at once, and even learning new skills that her parents thought were required of her if she wanted to make a good wife and mother someday. The ordinary, mundane activities and regulations that made up her life, she was exceptional at because she had been at it for so long.

Dancing was another matter altogether. Although not clumsy by any stretch of the imagination, it was still daunting for her to imagine moving her feet in a fast and carefree way. It was scary to imagine having to rely on someone else to guide her through the arduous process and not fall flat on her face like she had seen others do in similar situations.

The end-of-summer dance that Damon wanted her to attend with him, was that weekend. It only gave them a limited amount of time to practice the dance that Damon had in mind for them, the one that if they won, would win a cash prize and some other items of their choosing. It was scary for her, but it was also strangely thrilling at the same time as she walked up the wooden porch steps to Damon's aged family home.

The home had been in his family for generations, but she had hardly stepped foot inside of it before. Damon claimed that the place needed work, but Elena had the sinking realization that he was probably self-conscious when she was reminded of how grand and expensive her own home was compared to his.

Shaking her head in mild irritation at his pointless worrying, she took a deep breath, raised her fist to knock and waited for the familiar sounds of his feet hitting the floor. She didn't have to wait long, almost immediately she could hear him say something under his breath to himself before the door opened to reveal a slightly disheveled Damon who was dressed comfortably for the practice lesson and was wearing a teasing grin on his face, knowing how worried she was about this party.

"Well, hello, gorgeous," he said, smirking.

"Hello," Elena said, righting herself with a mental shove as she tried to ignore the weak feeling in the pit of her stomach whenever she was within ten feet of him. "Is that what you're wearing for the lesson?"

"Is that what _you're _wearing?" he shot back, his oceanic blue eyes roaming over her skirt and matching blouse before focusing back on her worn face.

"I considered this to be appropriate attire for the occasion," Elena replied stiffly as Damon side-stepped to let her inside before closing the door. "I asked Caroline," she amended.

"And what did judgy tell you?"

"She told me to wear something comfortable, something that would be easy to move around in."

Damon nodded in approval as he led her back through the foyer and into an impressive library that had an entire floorspace that was clear of clutter and chaos, perfect for practicing a complicated dance move in.

Not able to help herself, Elena paused in her stride as she glanced around at the display of books that seemed to take up almost the entire wall-span. If there was one thing that she loved to do on the side besides writing, it was burying her nose in as many novels as she could possibly get her hands on. She told herself that it fed her creativity, but she also knew that the real reason was that living in a fantasy world for a few hours was much more relaxing than living in the real world and all the stress that it presented to her.

"Do you like it?" Damon asked, bringing her out of her maze of thoughts as he walked closer to her, wrapping his arms securely around her waist.

"I _love _it," Elena corrected him. "You never told me you had this here before."

"I didn't think it was important," Damon said with a shrug. "My parents have owned this place for generations. I'm the last in the line so it naturally goes to me. The place is a dump, though."

Elena shrugged her shoulders. "It may need a little fine-tuning, but it's a beautiful house, Damon. I had no idea."

"You really think so?" Damon asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "I always thought it was a sty compared to the other estates near here."

"The other estates don't have any of this place's charm," Elena rebutted, bringing her hands forth to interlock them with Damon's. "Where are your parents?"

It had dawned on her that Damon had never mentioned his family to her before. She considered herself to be an open book around him, but when it came to his story and his background, he hardly gave her anything except a few facts about the history of his home and how his family had originally settled in Georgia.

"Ah," Damon said, as he prepared the music player for their dance session. "My parents are both gone."

"Damon..."

Damon shook his head forcefully as he finally turned his body around to face her. His face was an unreadable mask but Elena could detect a hint of pain in his usually joking eyes that she had never seen before.

"It's okay, Elena. It's not your burden to carry."

"Yes, it is," Elena said. "Damon, your pain is my pain. I _want _to know."

"My mother died first. She died of consumption." A wry smile crossed over his face. "My father turned into a bitter old man with anger issues and he eventually died in a friendly fire accident."

"So it's just you?"

"Me and me alone."

"No other family or siblings, even?"

"None that I talk to. Most of them fled the moment they realized that all the money we used to have dried up."

"Here I thought _my _family had issues," Elena muttered to herself but loud enough for Damon to hear her loud and clear. "Did your parents leave you this home?"

Damon nodded. "It was always supposed to be in the family."

"I can see why. So," Elena said, sensing that the discussion was no longer wanted on his end. "What dance moves will I be privileged to learn from you today, Mr. Salvatore?"

"I didn't think we should get too far out of hand, so I figured we would attempt to learn the waltz."

His tone was perfectly smooth and placid as though he had long ago remembered the complicated steps and was simply relearning them for the fun of it with her. She didn't doubt it as she stepped foreword to meet him in the middle of the room, his one arm extended so that his hand was clutching the small of her back, sending a sharp thrill down the center of her spine.

"Place your hand in mine," he whispered.

"This one?" Elena asked, holding up her left one.

"Yes. Now watch what my feet are doing so you can understand the concept a little better."

Elena nodded, bending her head down as she watched his feet guide them in a soft, fluid motion. This was the smoothest dance that she had ever had the privilege of sharing with someone, and the intimacy of the moment was only further enhanced by the soft classical music that he had set for the moment.

"How did you pick this up?" Elena breathed, feeling his fingers graze a bare part of her back.

"Some stupid place," Damon whispered, his breath touching the hollow of her neck. "Do you understand this concept a little better?" He asked, as he dipped her back.

"I...I think so," Elena said, batting her eyes rapidly in order to attempt to keep her composure in check. It was difficult when she was dancing with someone who was naturally confident and arrogant about himself, and she was none of those things on a regular basis.

Dancing with him filled her with the worst case of butterflies in her stomach, reminding her of a schoolgirl crush that was getting out of hand. Everything about Damon set her soul on fire. Whether it was the way in which he stroked her face with the tips of his fingers, or whether it was in the way that he led her around the floor.

This was a man who she believed only existed in the dusted covers of her favorite romance novels. Certainly not in real life and in a place like Georgia.

"You'll do fine this weekend. You have all the moves inside of you. The only thing you need to work on is your confidence and your ability of trust."

"I trust you," Elena said without missing a beat.

"I'm not talking about trust in me, although the compliment is flattering. I'm talking about trust in your own ability to pull this off. Don't think about the people ogling you. I'll punch any son of a bitch who tries it. I mean trust in your own ability to move and flow like I've been showing you."

"What do I get if I win this with you?" Elena asked flirtatiously.

"You get the best night of your life, and a promise."

"What's the promise?" Elena asked, her interest piqued once again.

"My promise to you is that if we end up going the distance together, I'll fix this place up and make it into your dream home. Just the two of us and then a handful of kids once we get around to it."

"That's awfully kind of you, Damon, but you don't need to fix anything. I'm happy wherever home is to you."

"I've been meaning to fix it up for years. You're just giving me an excuse to act on it finally."

"I love you," Elena whispered, feeling an uncharacteristic amount of emotion clog her vocal cords as she tried to verbalize just how much this man was beginning to mean to her.

"I love you too, baby," Damon said, brushing his fingers through her hair. "I really do."

"I really do, too."


	8. Chapter 8

She loved him.

He loved her.

They shared an intimate dance together in the library of his impressive family home that he had been so modest about before actually introducing her to it. The dance had truly been one of the most memorable of Elena's life for a variety of reasons, but the most important being the "I love you" they had each shared with one another at the conclusion of it.

She had never been loved like this before. Not even by her own parents. This love was the kind of love that most romance novelists penned for a living to give girls the hope that one day soon they would meet their prince charming, although it almost never happened in reality.

This was the kind of love that could be perfectly expressed with just the slightest bit of passion and the overwhelming presence of his easygoing smile or the way that he worked his fingers through her hair like it was made of silk, or the way he dipped her back during their dance, his steady eyes never straying from her unsteady ones as they waltzed their way through half of the classical music Damon had selected for the occasion.

The dance was that upcoming weekend. It was still nerve-wracking for her to imagine taking center stage like she was expected to do, but she found herself not caring about the jitters as much now that she knew some of what she was doing and knew that she had a firm partner to rely on during the routine.

Trying to avert her attention away from the dance and the even more pressing urgency of how much she was missing Damon while she was away from him, she focused on working her fingers through the racks at the clothing store she and her friends had decided to come to.

It had been awhile since she, Caroline and Bonnie had been given the opportunity to spend time together since her relationship with Damon had been taken to the next level. Trying to enjoy the moment, she grinned when Caroline skipped over to her with a skirt that was the latest in fashion but one that her family would most likely not allow her to wear.

"What is that?" Elena asked, taking the smooth fabric in her hands as she examined the beautiful white and lace design.

"A skirt," Caroline said. "It's a pretty one. I thought it brought out the color of your eyes."

"It's pretty short," Elena pointed out.

"Elena, most women are wearing shorter skirts now. It's not like the 1800s anymore."

"I know that but I have to be careful," Elena whispered. "My parents have built up this reputation around town. If they see their only child prancing around town dressed like a harlot, it could send out the wrong message."

"Elena, you need something new. Besides, this is Georgia. This isn't home right now."

"What do you think?" Elena asked, turning to Bonnie for either her approval or disapproval.

"It's up to you, Elena. I think you _do _think you need something new, though."

Deciding to be brave and bold and try something other than the usual wardrobe she had carefully selected all of her years, she decided to go with the design that Caroline and Bonnie were recommending for her.

Walking up to the counter to pay for their merchandise, she was mindful of the clock that was ticking away the hours until the following morning when she would wake up and go to meet Damon for the party that would be that evening. Before then, they would have lunch together and go over their final routine before the big show.

Ignoring the painful rush of butterflies that assaulted her stomach at the very thought of it, she tried to keep the smile off her face as she waited for Caroline and Bonnie to go next. Everything around her seemed different now that she was in love with someone. The air had a much sweeter smell to it, the trees and the breeze held a different meaning to her, and the music that she listened to was filled with twice as much passion and thrill than it had before.

"What's the update on you and Damon?" Bonnie asked, as they walked across the parking lot to reach their vehicle.

"I am escorting him to a dance tomorrow," Elena said, as she slid into the front seat.

"Where?" Caroline asked, unusually subdued when it concerned the subject of Elena's new boyfriend.

"It's out near the falls around here."

"A _dance_?" Caroline asked skeptically. "You have never danced a day in your life since I knew you."

"Well, Damon Salvatore has proved to be a very capable teacher."

"What do you get if you win it?" Bonnie asked.

"Some prize," Elena said with a shrug.

"What dance have you been practicing?" Caroline asked.

"The waltz."

"Have you fallen on your face yet?" Bonnie asked with a chuckle.

"No. Damon makes sure I don't."

She didn't know why she felt the need to be defensive around her two best friends, but when the conversation circled around Caroline and her obvious distaste for him, she could not help but defend herself and the relationship.

"So how are you two progressing?" Caroline asked.

"We...well, _I _told Damon that I...loved him," Elena whispered. "And then he told me that he loved me back."

"So this is official?"

"Yes, Caroline. It is "official.""

"And you're sure-"

"That he isn't using me for my money?" Elena snapped. "Yes. I am. If you took half as much time to get to know him as you do finding fault with him, you would find that he is a very kind and gentle man with a heart bigger than any man I've ever met in my entire _life._

Don't you dare judge him, Caroline, just because he doesn't have the money that we're all accustomed to by now. Don't you dare presume to think that you know him when you really _don't._"

Taking a deep breath, she turned her body around in her seat to look in the backseat where Caroline was seated with an absolute look of shock on her face. That outburst had been coming for weeks now every time she was with Caroline and could detect the hint of resentment and judgment brewing off her face.

"Don't be mad," Caroline pleaded. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'm not going to get hurt by him," Elena said, shaking her head. "The only people who have the power to hurt me right now, are sitting in this car with me."

"What did your parents think of him?" Bonnie asked quietly.

"They liked him. I think."

She and her parents had never officially discussed their views on her boyfriend since the Sunday lunch. Since the topic had never been brought up again, Elena could only assume that they had found it in their hearts to be respectful of her for once and of the choices that she was making.

Even if by some atrocity they did _not _approve, Elena could not imagine that making a difference in the bigger picture when she knew what she wanted, when she knew that Damon was far different from the person that people assumed that he was.

"I'm sorry, Elena," Caroline said, furiously batting away tears.

"It's okay," Elena said with a resigned sigh. "Just please, as your friend, please think before you say something hurtful, Caroline."

"You're right. I'm an idiot."

"Well, that's no surprise," Bonnie said.

"I am delicate right now, Bonnie!"

"Well, I am so sorry."

* * *

><p>The next morning dawned bright and early for Elena. The previous night had hardly awarded her any sleep, quite the contrary. Instead of the blissful rest that she knew was needed for pulling off something like a dance, she had spent the night tossing and turning in her bed before finally being granted a reprieve by the few hours she was able to sneak in during the wee dawn hours.<p>

Getting on the clothes that she was going to wear to the dance that night, she hardly spoke a word at breakfast as her parents tried to make polite conversation with her that centered around her entrance exam to Sarah Lawrence in a few weeks.

Sarah Lawrence was as far from her mind as it was possible to be and she could tell that her parents knew it, too, before she pushed her plate aside to go out the door the second that she saw Damon's truck pull up alongside the curb.

Barely breaking stride as she saw him get out to open the door for her, she paused to claim his lips in a kiss before climbing in the front seat with him. The past twenty-four hours since she had last seen him, had been among the longest of her life as she waited impatiently for him to get in beside her.

"You look gorgeous, baby," Damon said, the smile never leaving his face as his eyes roamed over every square inch of her ensemble before hesitantly starting down the road.

"Thank you," Elena said, blushing. "You look very...dapper."

"Thank you," Damon said, mimicking her earlier response. "Did you have fun yesterday during the shopping trip?"

Elena shook her head as she snuggled closer to Damon, laying her head on his shoulder as he turned a corner that she knew led straight to his family's home. "No. Because during that time, I kept thinking about you and how I was going to see you this morning."

"I'm flattered," Damon said with his usual smirk. "Did you find anything you liked there?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Caroline and Bonnie convinced me to buy something a little out of my comfort zone."

"Really?" Damon said, arching his eyebrows. "What do _you _think?"

"I like it."

"Will I get to see it sometime?"

"Maybe," Elena teased coyly. "I defended you."

"Really?" Damon said, and Elena could tell he was impressed. "Against the jaws of Caroline Forbes?"

"Yes. I actually think I got to make her see some sense."

"That must have been a feat."

"Knowing her for as long as I have, yes it was. Can you promise me something?" Elena asked, as her hand reached down to squeeze his.

"What's that?" Damon asked, as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"If we get married, can you promise me that we will never be apart for more than a day. I don't think I can handle it."

Even though the separation had only been a day, it was still one day too long for Elena who had spent that day trying to busy herself with other tasks but failing miserably when she was reminded of the treat that would await her the next morning.

Damon seemed to consider her statement as he pulled into the dirt driveway of his home. "Well, as far as you and I getting married, that's a done deal as far as I'm concerned. In answer to your earlier question, I think that sounds reasonably fair."

"You mean that?" Elena asked, forgetting all about her earlier concern when she heard Damon admit that he wanted to get married to her, that apparently this had been on his mind for some time.

"Mean what?" Damon asked, as he got out of the car and opened her door for her.

"That you and I are going to get married someday?"

"Sweetheart, I saw that from the second I laid my eyes on you. It just took _you _awhile to catch on."

Not able to deny that point once it was presented to her, especially when she was reminded of how hard she had tried to resist him, she did not argue it as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close.

"I love you, Damon."

"And I love you."

* * *

><p>The dance had gone off without a hitch. Their golden rule had to been to have fun regardless of the outcome and that secret technique had worked well for them as they took home first place with the prizes that were promised to them. For Elena, now that the stress of the dance was over, she could focus on the amazing night that Damon had promised her with.<p>

As they drove back to his house, the sun nearly setting over the horizon, she felt her hand once again take his as he squeezed it back tightly. Settling back against the seat, she tried to remember a point in time when she had been this content, this happy, and she could not find another point of reference to draw back on.

"You did amazing," Damon said, looking over at her as they drove.

"You think so?"

"I _know _so."

"It didn't hurt that I had a competent partner guiding me along."

"You should take more credit for yourself. I may have helped you, but you took to that floor like no one's business."

"Thank you."

Once they reached his place, Elena could hardly contain her nerves as Damon opened the door for her and carried her bridal style inside. Once inside, they hardly slowed down. Elena could not remember a time before this where she had been so deliriously happy as this as she and Damon's lips continued to dance together all the way up the stairs and into Damon's bedroom.

A bedroom that she would have considered to be amazing had she not been so focused on what her body was urging her to do, she let Damon guide her back toward the bed as they both collapsed on top of it.

"Damon-" Elena whispered.

Damon paused, taking a deep breath. "Are you _sure_?"

Elena nodded, tears of complete bliss and adoration on her face. "Yes. Yes, Damon."

Never had she been so sure of something in her entire life. Whereas before, she always felt the need to think things through and analyze, with Damon there was none of that as she buried her head in his shoulder, savoring each and every moment of this as he touched her as though she was the most precious and gentle being he had ever been fortunate enough to be with.

"I love you, Elena," Damon said quietly. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

The word seemed inconsequential compared to the raging fire that was brewing inside of her heart as she let him slide the strap off her dress, fighting the urge of anticipation as much as she could as she simply focused on the man that she loved more than life itself.

"Damon!"

A voice that did not belong to her was shouting Damon's name from downstairs somewhere. She automatically tensed in fear as she looked at Damon questioningly, wondering who this intruder was to him and if he knew him or not.

Beside her, Damon groaned in her ear as he straightened up, pulling on his shirt and pants as he made sure that she had something on to cover herself.

"Who is that?" Elena asked.

"My coworker from the carnival," Damon said, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "Tyler! I'm in here! What the hell is it and why couldn't it wait!"

It only took a few seconds for Tyler's thundering feet to be heard over the hardwood flooring that covered the house, before the door flew open and he stood there.

"What is it?" Damon demanded.

"I'm sorry, man, but Elena's parents are freaking out. They didn't know where she was and they have the cops all over town looking for her."


End file.
